Cannabis has speed but hasn't shown it in recent matches. Credit: The FA/Naomi Baker
Not so long ago, Lauren Hemp was England's most dynamic and dangerous attacking player; the one that every opposing team feared the most.
Recently, however, we've seen her as a player who gives the impression that she no longer has the same freedom of expression or willingness to take risks.
Since breaking into the senior side by making her debut under former England manager Phil Neville against the United States at the SheBelieves Cup in the spring of 2020, Cannabis has flourished. She looked special.
On the eve of last summer's European Championship, the Manchester City winger was widely expected to be one of the players in the tournament. She didn't let anyone down, starting every game when the Lionesses were crowned European champions.
However, it is also fair to say that the spark was not enough. Hemp was more functional than exciting. Tormenting cornerbacks with her speed and skill in those early years as a young Lioness, the girl from rural Norfolk seemed more cautious, perhaps even limited in her approach.
For those who yearned to see her run and punch defenders, There was a feeling that she was beginning to play it safe. It was like a sports car in third gear on the inner lane of a motorway.
This can happen to wingers whose natural inclination is to attack and then attack again. Natural play may be limited by managers and team structures. However, Sarina Wigman has always been a fan of hers, and if she asked her to change her style of play, it would seem strange, given how dangerous she was.
So this is pressure? Does the fact that she has to constantly turn on the afterburner and torment defenders with her dribbling skill and speed play in her mind? Has she become risk averse?
“I feel like it's the same,” Cannabis replied, speaking at the team's training base on the central coast of New South Wales. “Obviously I get more experience as I get older. Now I'm turning into one of the most experienced players here, which is strange considering I'm only 22 years old. But in fact, I dealt with all this calmly.
“Of course [I still play with the same freedom on the pitch]. I always remember where I come from and why I started playing. I started playing because I love it and I will keep playing until I stop loving this game and I still enjoy it, I still enjoy my football.”
Cannabis does not had her best season for City but, as with her international performances, there were still flashes of brilliance. Simply with Beth Mead and Fran Kirby absent from the World Cup, the England team is in desperate need of a creative spark. He needs Cannabis, in its rampage and looting, to best help ignite an attack that has not scored a single goal in open play for four games.
“Toward the end of the season, I felt like I was getting back into shape,” Hemp said. “I think it's important to work hard every day to try to be better. I am one of the strikers, we are all very eager to score, we are desperately trying to connect [with each other], and I hope that this will happen in the next game.
“We have been together for several weeks, so the links are being established , and yes, I think you can feel in the team that we are all very excited now that the tournament is in full swing.
“We create a lot of chances as a team. I think it's just about being more ruthless. We have shown that we dominate many teams. We just need to be a little more reasonable.
“It's not like we haven't scored before. We are all capable of scoring. It's just about making it work and making those connections work.”
If those connections don't work against Denmark on Friday, England will definitely make changes. Cannabis should be back to being the player we all know it can be.
Recent Comments